text:
By CARL GREEN
East St. Louis – A $15 minimum hourly wage in Illinois wouldn’t just help the working-class people who would receive it, but businesses throughout the state that would find new customers with money to spend, says the legislator leading the push for the increase.
“Businesses need consumers,” said Representative Will Guzzardi, lead sponsor of House Bill 198, who visited East St. Louis as part of a statewide tour to promote the legislation.
“Your businesses are only going to be as prosperous as you have consumers to buy your goods,” Guzzardi said.
“If you’re running a grocery store, a shop or restaurant, you need people with money in their pockets to go shop. When people spend all of their money on rent and power bills, and that’s all they can do, it’s going to be really difficult to start and operate a business.
“By putting money in the pockets of working people, that money’s going to get circulated in the economy and it’s going to lift our small businesses in our communities.”
Guzzardi, of Chicago, spoke at a press conference at the East St. Louis Public Library April 20 along with members of Service Employees International Union (SEIU)-Healthcare Illinois and Representative Latoya Greenwood (D-East St. Louis), an early co-sponsor of the bill. The measure had 23 co-sponsors last week, all Democrats.
HB 198 would raise the minimum in stages, not reaching $15 until 2022, to give employers time to adjust.
Illinois’ minimum wage, now set at $8.25 an hour would increase to $9 next year, $10 in 2019, $11.25 in 2020, $13 in 2021 and $15 in 2022. Tax credits would be issued to help employers of less than 50 people meet the threshold.
“What we’ve heard in city after city is that every community needs $15 an hour,” Guzzardi said. “It’s a basic, decent standard of living, no matter what corner of the state you live in. In Illinois, 2.3 million people make less than $15 an hour. Every single one of those people deserves a raise.”
STRUGGLING TO GET BY
Fazio Beverly, a Metro East home health care worker, said she had to give up a better-paying job when her parents were sick and needed her care. She now makes $10 an hour caring for two needy clients and struggling to support her six adopted children, most of whom have special needs.
“I had to go from making a good salary to $10 an hour,” she said, noting that one of her clients is bed-bound. “I get up every day, I go and dress her and get her breakfast ready. Some days I have to take her to her doctor out in Creve Coeur. I get a lot of wear and tear on my vehicle.”
Beverly said she makes $30 a day for that client, but spends more than that on gas and maintenance for her car.
“Giving us $15 an hour isn’t going to get us rich, it isn’t going to put us on a level with Trump or Rauner, but it will help us offset some of the expense we endure of being home health care providers or trying to help others who need us,” Beverly said.
Greenwood, the state representative from East St. Louis, said Beverly’s story is common for home health care workers throughout the state. Paying those workers $15 an hour, she said, “is the humane thing to do, it’s the right thing to do.
“I’m very proud to be a co-sponsor of this legislation,” Greenwood said.
Guzzardi said it’s a matter of economic justice.
“We know that something’s broken in the American economy right now when we have the Donald Trumps and Bruce Rauners of the world making more money than they’ve ever made, and everybody else is struggling to get by,” he said.
“Incomes are staying flat, people aren’t getting raises, and meanwhile, the cost of everything goes up. The cost of food, the cost of housing, the cost of education, it’s all rising. Families in every corner of this state and every part of this country are struggling to get by.”
A BUDGET BOOST
Illinois’ beleaguered state budget would get a boost from the bill, Guzzardi said, because higher wages paid to working people would go back into the economy, increasing the state’s income and sales tax revenue, and reducing the need for public assistance.
“It’s good for working people, it’s good for business, it’s good for state government,” Guzzardi said. “This is the kind of investment we need to make right now.”
Guzzardi and Greenwood are confident the bill will pass the state House and Senate, but could be vetoed by Governor Bruce Rauner.
“We’ll see if he sides with the 2.3 million working people who will get a raise from this bill or if he sides with the big corporations,” Guzzardi said. “I think that will be a very telling moment.”


text:
Following Google and Twitter, Facebook has become the latest company to take legal action against controversial facial recognition startup Clearview AI. According to Buzzfeed News, the company sent a cease-and-desist letter to Clearview sometime this week, demanding that it stop taking data from Facebook and Instagram. "Scraping people's information violates our policies, which is why we've demanded that Clearview stop accessing or using information from Facebook or Instagram," a spokesperson for the company told Buzzfeed News.
Before sending the letter, it appears Facebook had tried several different approaches to get Clearview to comply. According to CBS News, the social media giant sent multiple letters to Clearview, attempting to clarify its policies. CBS News says the company had also requested detailed information from Clearview about its practices and demanded that the startup stop using data from Facebook's products.
Clearview came under intense scrutiny earlier this year when a report from The New York Times showed that the company has been scraping billions of images from websites like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube without consent to build out its facial recognition database. The startup works with more than 600 police departments across North American and claims its technology is 99.6 percent accurate in identifying individuals.
It's unclear why Facebook took longer to take formal legal action against Clearview than other companies such as Google. One possible reason is that Facebook board member Peter Thiel was an early investor in the startup. The fact that Thiel has a relationship with both companies may have complicated Facebook's response. In either case, we've reached out to Facebook for comment, and we'll update this article when we hear back from the company.
CBS News reports Venmo recently sent a cease-and-desist letter to Clearview as well. In an interview with the broadcaster, Clearview CEO Hoan Ton-That said his company would challenge the letters by arguing it has a First Amendment right to publicly available information. "Google can pull in information from all different websites," he said, comparing Clearview's product to Google's search engine. "So if it's public, you know, and it's out there, it could be inside Google search engine, it can be inside ours as well." In a statement it issued this week, Google said Ton-That's comparison was misleading. "Most websites want to be included in Google Search, and we give webmasters control over what information from their site is included in our search results, including the option to opt-out entirely," the company said.
Complicating the entire situation is that there aren't any federal laws that regulate the use of facial recognition in the US. Some cities such as San Francisco have enacted partial bans of the technology, but there's no consensus between different cities and states.

domain: news


text:
Wednesday — Wine Wise is teaching a class on Merlot at The Wine Bar.
Thursday — there will be wine tastings at Kitchen & Cork in Scarborough and Leavitt & Sons in Falmouth, and Cultivating Community is holding one of their biweekly Twilight Dinners.
Friday — an Italian wine tasting is scheduled to take place at the Rosemont Market on Munjoy Hill.
Saturday — there will be a wine tasting at the Black Cherry Provisions.
Sunday — the next 20/20 wine tasting/charity event is being held at the Snow Squall in South Portland, Wine Wise is coordinating a sailing wine class aboard the Casablanca, and Cinque Terre is holding their 3rd Annual Eco Appetito to raise funds for the Ferry Beach Ecology School.
Farmer’s Markets — the traditional series of Farmer’s Markets are taking place Monday (Monument Square), Wednesday (Monument Square) and Saturday (Deering Oaks Park). Cultivating Community is running their new series of markets Wednesday, Thursday and Friday at various locations around the city.
If you are holding a food event this week that’s not listed above, publicize it by adding it as a comment to this post.


text:
Locally assembled Audi Q3 to be priced at Rs 25 lakh
2013 Audi in India
The Audi Q3 will now have a cheaper price tag. Audi India's Managing Director Michael Perschke has announced that the German luxury car maker plans to position the Indian CKD-assembled Q3 at a price point of Rs 25 lakh.
At this price, the SUV will be the cheapest luxury car in Audi's India lineup. Local assembly of the Q3 is estimated to start a few months from now, with the imported CKD parts being put together at Audi's production unit in Aurangabad.
Though the Q3's base variant for the international market comes with a 2-litre TDI engine that delivers 140PS/320Nm, a 6 speed manual transmission and front wheel drive, it may not be the one sold in India. The Q3 could carry on with the Quattro technology, 2 litre TDI engines (170PS/350Nm) and the 7-speed dual clutch automatic transmission. Audi also offers the 211PS/300Nm 2.0-litre TFSI engine for the Q3 in India, prices of which start from Rs 27.37 lakh ex-Maharashtra.
The CBU units of the Q3's entry-level variant are currently priced at Rs 27.21 lakhs, ex-showroom Delhi. The CKD-assembled Q3 will have lower import duties and this will allow Audi to retain the higher engine spec, while also enjoy cost savings. Audi's plans to attract buyers of other luxury SUVs/crossovers into its fold seems to be in place with this move. The company recently announced an attractive finance scheme for the Q3 which, if carried forward to the CKD models, would make owning the SUV even easier.
However, the Q3 may not be the cheapest attraction in Audi's arsenal for too long. In 2014, Audi plans to launch the entry-level A3 sedan. The A3 will be the first MQB-based Audi model to be launched in India.
Starts Rs 32.48 Lakhs
- Near-production Skoda Slavia spied ahead of early 2022 launch
- 2021 Force Gurkha deliveries begin across India
- Comparison review: Jeep Compass vs Citroen C5 Aircross
- 2021 Toyota Innova Crysta Limited Edition launched with added tech features, prices unchanged
- Top 10 best selling cars in India 2021 - Maruti Suzuki and Hyundai dominate


text:
A click away
Growing up in Rangiora with a fashion-designing mum set the scene for Emma Ponsonby, who is now well ensconced in the international fashion world.
Recently launching an online shopping mall, she enables fashionistas to fill their shopping bags with labels such as Victoria's Secret and Dolce and Gabbana without leaving home.
More than 70 high-end labels and retailers, including Harrods and Bloomingdales, are tenants of Ponsonby's online mall, with two-thirds of them shipping to New Zealand.
* See myshoppingsecrets.co.nz
Show a lot of leg
Legs are looking good this winter with DKNY's latest lacy look. Too pretty to hide under a long skirt, the ultra- feminine floral tulle tights are just calling out for heels and hemlines of the same length, if you dare!
Birthdays are a time for celebrating and reminiscing about the good times, so it's only fitting that Barkers celebrates its 40th birthday this year by bringing back a much-loved memory of the '90s.
A staggering 50,000 pairs of Barkers trackpants sold last time around and they are now giving a new generation comfortable clothing that's ideal for sports, travel or hanging out with friends.
* Trackpants are $89.99 from Barkers stores or barkersonline.co.nz
Sew it up
The New Zealand Fashion Museum is seeking to uncover gems from our own homegrown fashion history. Public and private collectors, designers, stylists and others with a passion for fashion are invited to contribute to the museum's upcoming Home Sewn exhibition.
The exhibition focuses on garments, patterns, photographs, machines and technology that tell a story about the evolution of home-sewn fashions in New Zealand and will be held in pop-up locations.
* See fashionmuseum.org.nz
- © Fairfax NZ News


text:
✍ Notes from the Editors
Look, we totally get what some of you are thinking (especially if you’ve been reading our emails for a while).
“… uh vegan sushi? How is this unicorn material, guys? You’ve never covered food brands before. Much confused.”
One: We’re no stranger to interesting industries. Food is a new (and interesting) space for us. We also had the chance to meet CEO Kelly Pan at our SF Happy Hour in February.
Two: A brand of pasta sauce sold for $2.7 billion last month. So yeah. It’s doable. It’s been done. It will continue to be done.
Enjoy this week’s cover of Impact Food, brought to you by our contributor Sameera Pant.
In other news, thanks to everyone who participated in our referral challenge. Congratulations to Brayden from The Mixup for winning! We wanted to give his newsletter a shout-out: The Mixup is a daily newsletter summarizing the essential news of the day in a 3-minute read. Check it out.
📖 Founder Story
In the spring of 2020, Impact Food co-founder and CEO Kelly Pan joined the UC Berkeley Alternative Meats Lab, a product design and entrepreneurship class centered on developing the next generation of foods, such as plant-based meats, dairy substitutes, and alternative sources of fat and protein.
Growing up in a family of small business owners, Pan had already been bitten by the entrepreneurial bug, having worked on a D2C skincare brand and a nonprofit consulting organization. Although she initially joined the class as a foodie interested in learning more about the scientific side of the industry, studying how industrial food production was inefficient and unsustainable sparked her interest in connecting entrepreneurship with solving these problems.
As part of the lab, students were grouped together to complement their skill sets, which is how Pan, an undergrad at the Haas School of Business, met Miranda, a biochemistry undergraduate and Claudino Daffara, a master’s student studying electrical engineering and computer science. The realization that 90% of fish stocks have been consumed by the commercial fishing industry — causing tremendous loss of biodiversity and disruption of the marine ecosystem — led the three to set their sights on finding a way to feed the growing population of seafood consumers while allowing the oceans to thrive. And so, Impact Food was born.
Interested in finding your next job?
Interested in hiring talent from the Unicorner community?
🔮 Our Analysis
When setting up a consumer-centric B2B company, especially in food technology, it’s vital for a startup to match both the needs of its end customer as well as the businesses it's partnering with. This is something Impact Food has exceeded on both counts, ensuring that both its restaurant partners and diners are satisfied.
On the business side, Impact Food’s flagship product of whole-cut, vegan sushi tuna clearly fulfills a market gap. Currently, there’s less than 3% of bluefin tuna population left, with the species highly endangered and restaurants struggling to match the resultant high demand. In fact, when doing customer discovery as Impact Food was starting out, Pan found that a lot of restaurants had stopped selling tuna because they couldn’t get the supply they needed. Restaurants operate on thin margins, requiring a consistent supply of seafood to meet their diners' needs, and Impact’s plant-based offering proves more reliable than its ocean-based counterpart. Additionally, the company is one of the only food tech companies to sell at parity with actual tuna because of its cost-effective manufacturing process, Pan added.
On the consumer side, out of a desire for being health- and environmentally conscious, more and more diners want vegan and vegetarian options even if they are meat-eaters, Pan said. Impact’s manufacturing technique places customer experience at its forefront, with a unique texturization process that turns a blend of plant-based ingredients spanning pea protein, algae, and vegetable juice into a product that is high fiber, low calorie, and mercury free — something which can’t be guaranteed with real seafood!
Lastly, there’s something to be said about the founding team as well. The trio met right before the pandemic, going from working together in person to remotely juggling Impact with full-time jobs and schooling before incorporating the company in 2021. From being entirely bootstrapped — their first lab was in Miranda’s bedroom — and working with grants and accelerators, to finding themselves in restaurants three years later is no mean feat. After all, how many class group projects end up raising close to $1 million dollars? Impact Food is clearly making waves and we look forward to seeing them continue to seas the market.
📚 Further Reading


text:
HMRC has a plan to crack down on abuse of the VAT simplification scheme, but it has been warned that the changes may not be effective and would have an adverse effect on many small companies.
No one is disputing that tackling abuse of the Flat Rate VAT scheme needs to be done, but the CIOT has argued that HMRC needs to tighten its proposals in order to not victimise innocent companies. Contractors who use the FRS will have to determine each quarter whether they can be deemed a ‘limited costs trader’. This new term comes into force after April 2017.
Any contractor who is caught by the rules because their VAT inclusive expenditure on goods is under 2% or their VAT inclusive turnover is under £1,000 per year must pay HMRC 16.5% of their takings.
In addition, the CIOT pointed out that contractors would have to pay this 16.5%, even where their activity would normally attract a lower rate.
The CIOT said: “Because of the way the limited cost trader is defined, most businesses in the FRS will need to consider whether they fall into its definition during a particular accounting period, and could be caught by fluctuating in and out of the 16.5% rate.”
The CIOT also believes that many of the small companies that will be caught by the FRS will move back into standard VAT accounting. This would be around 4,000 companies.
The CIOT said: “the costs of businesses doing this could be significantly higher than the £180 per annum suggested by HMRC. The proposed changes are also complicated and could negate the simplification aims of the FRS.”


text:
Medical cannabis pharmacy WholesomeCo is marking Women’s History Month by shifting focus to women’s cannabis trends in 2021 as well as hosting a donation drive for Farmington, Utah-based nonprofit women’s shelter Safe Harbor throughout March. WholesomeCo is also sharing patient testimonials to build awareness of how medical cannabis benefits women and highlighting women who work in cannabis in the community and at WholesomeCo.
“Throughout March, we’re raising awareness about how women incorporate medical cannabis into their overall wellness routine,” said WholesomeCo VP of Marketing Diana Arena. “National data also suggests women’s cannabis sales will continue to rise. Last year, women drove 40% of WholesomeCo’s medical cannabis sales, and we’re hoping to see that number increase in the coming years as more success stories encourage women to explore ways medical cannabis can enhance their quality of life.”
Based on WholesomeCo sales, edibles are the most popular medical cannabis product women purchase, with Hygge Chews being the most sold brand. The second most purchased product was flower, with Khalifa Kush being the most popular brand. When it comes to medical cannabis strains, most women opted for hybrids.
WholesomeCo is offering patients who donate to the Safe Harbor women’s shelter drive 15% off their order. In addition to providing shelter, Safe Harbor also provides supportive services and advocacy to survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault, and provides education, awareness and resources to the community.
The items that are currently needed most are women’s bras, underwear and feminine products. Items that are always needed include the below:
Ethnic hair care products
Medium, large, XL sweatpants (unisex, plain no logos)
Liquid laundry detergent
39-gallon trash bags
Copy printer paper, including size 11×14
Store gift cards (Target, Walmart, Smiths, WinCo, etc.)
Gas cards (Maverik, Chevron, Sinclair, Phillips 66, 7-11, etc.)
Home Improvement Gift Cards (Lowes, Home Depot, Ace Hardware, Bed Bath & Beyond, etc.)
Twin size sheet set
Additional items may be found here. Donations can be brought to WholesomeCo’s Bountiful location or can be given to a delivery driver and the 15% discount will be valid through April 10.
WholesomeCo is one of only four vertically integrated medical cannabis operators in Utah, with its corporate headquarters located in West Bountiful. Various medical cannabis services are offered by the company, including statewide delivery to 99% of Utah’s population, as well as retail, drive-thru, and online pick-up services through their pharmacy in West Bountiful. WholesomeCo is known for its technology-driven leadership and innovation in Utah’s medical cannabis industry, a byproduct of its commitment to improving medical cannabis accessibility by putting patients’ needs first.
Source : https://www.newswire.com/news/wholesomeco-hosts-donation-drive-to-support-local-womens-shelter-and-21653000


text:
Android 5.0 Lolipop was a major change for both the operating system created by Google as well as its users.
We began to hear rumors about Android 5.1 some time ago, but now a major player in the smartphone market has confirmed it’s existence.
During the past weeks, there have been all sorts of information about a new update for Android. Now we learn it certainly exists and that will be launched in the near future.
The news comes from an HTC official. Mo Versi, vice president of the product management division, was asked when the next update will come for smartphone HTC One M7.
He replied that the upcoming update “will be linked to the next release from Google, which is in March.”
The question is whether Versi was referring to an incremental update, such as Android 5.0.3, or a new version with more updates such as Android 5.1.
The fact is that once announced, the new version will arrive on all smartphones that have received Android 5.0.


text:
Leading tire distributor Omni United Pte. Ltd. was chosen for the prestigious Enterprise 50 list by Singapore’s Business Times and KPMG Services Pte. Ltd. The company earned the award on the basis of its “outstanding business management, innovation, market presence and contribution to the economic development in Singapore and abroad.” Some of Omni’s proprietary brands include Radar and Timberland, and in this year’s list, Omni was ranked 11th, improving its ranking by two spots from the 2014 ranking. This marks the third consecutive year that Omni United has made it to the list.
Speaking about the recognition, Omni United Founder and CEO G.S. Sareen said that the company has always believed in challenging convention and attributed the company’s improving ranking to its forward thinking and out-of-the-box approach.
The Enterprise 50 Awards were first established in 1995, and were instituted to recognize privately owned Singaporean companies that have made major contributions to economic development in both Singapore and overseas. The award is sponsored by OCBC Bank and supported by the International Enterprise Singapore, Singapore Business Federation and SPRING Singapore.
In addition to its proprietary brands, Omni United handles the Goodride, Birla, Roadlux and Speedways brands in various markets. The company recently acquired Interstate Tire Disributors of Commerce, California to strengthen its presence in the US.
Manju Mathew, an MBA in marketing, completed publisher training courses from the Oxford Brookes University and New York University. She started with marketing and PR roles before moving on to her current position as a full time writer. Currently living in Dubai, her life as an expat has sharpened her observation skills and flair for writing. She enjoys writing about luxury cars like Ferrari, Lamborghini, etc even if she can only dream of owning them.
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *
© 2017 Morjan Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.


text:
AT&T Inc., the country’s second-largest wireless carrier in the U.S., agreed to buy T-Mobile USA, the fourth-largest, from Deutsche Telekom AG in a cash-and-stock deal valued at $39 billion to create America’s largest mobile-phone company.
The transaction — one of the largest since the onset of the financial crisis — is expected to start a fierce battle in Washington as regulators scrutinize the impact of the deal on competition and consumers. The deal would leave just three major cellular companies in the country: AT&T, Verizon and the much smaller Sprint Nextel.
In a press release, AT&T said the agreement has been approved by both companies’ boards of directors. If the deal meets regulatory approval, AT&T will be the largest wireless provider in the United States with 129.2 million customers.
The acquisition would give AT&T additional leverage against its main rival, Verizon. The newly combined company – bringing together AT&T’s 95.5 million wireless subscribers with T-Mobile’s 33.7 million customers – would account for roughly 42 percent of all wireless subscribers in the United States.
Verizon has around 31 percent, said Charles Golvin, a telecom analyst at Forrester Research. T-Mobile customers would have the option to buy an iPhone, helping AT&T combat the migration of the popular device to Verizon.
AT&T will pay about $25 billion in cash and the balance in company stock in a deal that gives Deutsche Telekom about an 8 percent equity stake in AT&T. Regulatory approval may take a year, Dallas-based AT&T said.
“This is a long process from the regulatory perspective and nothing is guaranteed,” said Chris Larsen, a Piper Jaffray & Co. analyst, in an interview. “For these carriers, there’s going to be bigger savings on their networks by joining up.”
T-Mobile is coming off of two years of flat revenue as it struggles to compete with much larger rivals AT&T and Verizon Wireless. Bellevue, Wash.-based T-Mobile USA’s subscriber count has stalled at just under 34 million, though it posts consistent profits.
Sprint had held talks with Deutsche Telekom about acquiring T-Mobile, people with knowledge of the matter said this month. However, the companies hadn’t been able to agree on the valuation of T- Mobile, the people with knowledge of the matter said.
AT&T said Sunday the deal gives it an “optimal combination of network assets” that adds capacity sooner than any other alternative. It also said the deal will improve network quality of both companies and increase the number of cell towers about 30 per cent in some of its most populated areas.
AT&T also said that it would expand the rollout of its high- speed wireless technology, called Long-Term Evolution, or LTE, under the T-Mobile agreement. AT&T will offer the service to an additional 46.5 million people as part of the deal, helping achieve the Federal Communications Commission goal of making broadband available more widely, the company said.
“We studied this thing extensively over the last few months and we’re very confident it will be approved,” Randall Stephenson, AT&T chairman and chief executive officer, said in an interview. “Most local markets have a choice between five carriers, so the space will remain fiercely competitive.”
The T-Mobile deal may give AT&T a way to boost earnings because of the money the companies would save by combining their operations. The companies’ estimate that they could have $40 billion in synergies is a realistic assessment, said Jonathan Chaplin, an analyst with Credit Suisse Group AG.
“Phenomenal deal if it happens,” Chaplin wrote in a research note yesterday. “Huge upside for AT&T; Deutsche Telekom getting a great price; however, we believe regulatory risk is enormous.”
“AT&T’s acquisition of T-Mobile, if approved, brings good news and bad news,” Forrester Research analyst Charles Golvin told Mashable.
He continued: “The good news: high-speed mobile broadband service will improve in quality and coverage, including — in the long run — those in rural communities outside the reach of terrestrial broadband today.”
“The bad news: the cost of that service won’t come down nearly as fast as customers would like, since AT&T and Verizon Wireless combined would own nearly three out of every four wireless subscriptions in the US.
“While clearly troublesome for Sprint and other mobile smaller mobile competitors, It’s also bad news for cable operators, whose incipient mobility products will suffer in comparison to what AT&T and Verizon can offer,” he said.


text:
(Bloomberg) -- Wendy’s Co., which reported a hacker attack earlier this year at its franchisee-owned restaurants, said that the breach was significantly bigger than it initially thought.
The company discovered malicious software aimed at getting customers’ payment-card information from point-of-sale systems, according to a statement on Thursday. After saying on May 11 that the malware was found at fewer than 300 North American restaurants, Wendy’s now expects the number of affected locations to be “considerably higher.”
The fast-food chain said it has disabled the malware, but “reports indicate that payment cards used legitimately at Wendy’s may have been used fraudulently elsewhere.” There’s no sign that company-owned restaurants were affected.
Retailers and restaurant companies, including Target Corp. and Home Depot Inc., have suffered a spate of hacker attacks in recent years. U.S. chains began using European-style chip cards last year in a bid to tamp down fraud.
Register or login for access to this item and much more
All Information Management content is archived after seven days.
Community members receive:
- All recent and archived articles
- Conference offers and updates
- A full menu of enewsletter options
- Web seminars, white papers, ebooks
Already have an account? Log In
Don't have an account? Register for Free Unlimited Access


text:
Virgin Group news
23andMe to merge with Virgin Group’s VG Acquisition Corp.
23andMe is to merge with Virgin Group’s VG Acquisition Corp. to become a publicly-traded company, set to revolutionise personalised healthcare and therapeutic development through human genetics.
4 February 2021
This just in
New joint venture helps Agilyx take the next step in solving the world’s plastic problem
25 February 2021


text:
Strategic geographic advantage, smart leadership, and enormous economic potential, all these factors opened the doors widely for the Arab Gulf countries, led by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, not only to become one of the most important countries in the world with regard to the port sector but also to completely dominate the market.
Written by: Fatima Omrani
Over recent years, Dubai and Riyadh have proven that they are witnessing continuous growth in the field of ports, as the infrastructure of these ports has been developed and their ability to receive and unload ships has increased, credit here goes to the commitment of local governments to developing this sector. Saudi Arabia and the UAE top the list of the largest ports in the world, as the ports of Jeddah and Dubai occupy advanced positions in this list.
Riyadh and Dubai continue to dominate the port sector globally, as these ports are characterized by modern technologies and advanced services that meet the needs of customers and make them centres of attraction for international shipping and trade companies.
The Asian continent occupies a leading position in maritime trade around the world at a time when Chinese influence is expanding to revive the Silk Road through a network of land and sea lines to connect the three continents. Asia, Africa and Europe. Countries around the world are now hastening to join international alliances, such as the Chinese-Pakistani-Qatari axis, and the Indian-Iranian-Emirati axis.
Approximately 43 ports, including commercial, industrial and secondary ports, in 9 countries (Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, UAE, Iran, India, and Pakistan) compete for navigation in the Arabian Gulf. The volume of investments in these ports is estimated between 100 billion and 150 billion dollars, until 2029.
This huge amount and the large number of ports are enough to draw the shape and size of future competition for maritime navigation in the Gulf area, in addition to the fact that all ports are close to each other, which makes the competition between them fiercer.
Several countries are racing to control strategic ports in the Gulf region, especially to avoid sending ships through the Strait of Hormuz, as all Gulf countries play a role in the balance of power in the region and perpetuate their position as mediators in regional and international disputes.
This competition highlights the importance of developing ports to improve their competitiveness and their ability to keep pace with global developments, hence the crucial importance of training and qualifying workers in the maritime field.
For example, the London Maritime Institute, based in London, offers training programs in several major cities worldwide. The institute plays an important role in developing the capabilities of specialized human resources in the port sector, improving logistics management, and providing innovative technological solutions. These specialized training centres can enhance the skills of port workers in general and increase their attractiveness to international shipping and trade.
The development of the shipping and logistics sector is a fundamental pillar of the transport strategy, especially the maritime one, in Saudi Arabia, within the development plan of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 led by Prince Mohammed bin Salman, which is to become a regional logistics centre for the countries of the Middle East, Africa and Southeast Asia.
Saudi ports are witnessing an increase in maritime traffic due to the recent opening of the region to new foreign investments. This has allowed Saudi Arabia to develop a modern infrastructure to attract more commercial traffic to its ports.
These ports were developed to meet the needs of modern shipping operators, and now serve many industrial and commercial companies from all around the world. This has enabled Saudi Arabia to become a major trading centre for regional and international trade.
The investments aim to improve port infrastructure, including building new ports, modernizing existing ports, and upgrading security technology. In addition, huge investments are being made in the logistics sector, including building new warehouses and developing new technologies to improve supply chain management.
United Arab Emirates
The UAE ranked first in the Arab world and fourth in worldwide in the quality of port infrastructure, according to a report on the logistics industry issued by Mordor Intelligence. Also, the UAE has the strongest network of connections with sea ports with the rest of the world, starting from the country’s ports of (Abu Dhabi Ports) and (DP World).
The UAE has maintained its first position in the Arab world in maritime connectivity with international ports from 2018 until year 2022. Meanwhile, the UAE’s ports have become a regional hub for attracting international investment and promoting sustainable growth in the logistics sector using technology and innovation.
Sultanate of Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar
The Sultanate of Oman is distinguished by the presence of an integrated network of ports spread along the Omani coast. The network of main commercial ports includes the Port of Sohar, the Port of Salalah, which ranked second among the most efficient container ports in the world, and the Port of Duqm. There are also smaller ports in the states of Suwaiq, Shinas, and Khasab. Sultan Qaboos Port in Muscat city has been allocated to serve the tourism sector.
In addition to its important economic role, The Sultanate of Oman plays a crucial political role, especially after Muscat granted the US military greater facilities to benefit from the ports of Duqm and Salalah, and contributed to adjusting the balance of power in the region.
As for Kuwait, it imports more than 80% of its needs through its ports, while it imports about 20% from its land and airports. Therefore, since the beginning of the state, Kuwait has been linked to its vital ports, and for many years it has remained an important commercial location among the countries of the region.
In Qatar and Bahrain, there are many ports that are considered the backbone of the trade system. These ports provide maritime transport, navigational and logistical services at a high level and in accordance with the highest specifications, standards and international standards in force in this regard.
Does the Gulf Dominate the Ports Sector Globally?
Ports in the Middle East occupied four of the top five positions in the second edition of the Global Container Port Performance Index (CPPI) developed by the World Bank.
The World Bank index and market information issued by Standard & Poor’s International Agency on the performance of container ports also showed that the ports of the Middle East and East Asia were the best in terms of responding to the significant growth in the volume of activities, and in particular, the Gulf ports were far superior to British ports.
Britain’s Heavy Losses After Brexit
Freight statistics from the UK Department for Transport highlighted the impact of Brexit and the pandemic on British ports, with total freight tonnage down by 9%, while traffic fell by 13% – while inland units were massively damaged with a 17% drop between 2020 and 2021.
Economic analyst Phoebe Thompson said, “This is the first time that the industry as a whole has been able to see the overall impact of Britain’s exit from the European Union on port volumes.”
However, the British government did not allow the impact of Brexit to extend further, as the CEO of the Great British Ports Group, Tim Morris, said, “Things have changed for ports, but not in the dramatic way that was expected. Our ports were already dealing with large quantities of commercial materials with the rest of the world, so the idea of being able to move goods across borders wasn’t anything new, it’s not universal, as some ports only trade with the EU, it’s a more fundamental change.”
At a time when the UK’s ports are facing a financial cost due to the confusion related to border control after Britain’s exit from the European Union, it is crucial that London’s orientation shifts to the Arab Gulf countries and increase the dedication and networking of relations and agreements in the port sector.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates seem to be ideal destinations for Britain to benefit from their superiority in the field of ports with their occupying the first positions in the world, especially in light of the Saudi-British rapprochement and the upcoming visit of Prince Mohammed bin Salman to London soon.


text:
Has technology dehumanised brands?
Psychologist and founder of Style Psychology, Kate Nightingale, suggested that technology for the sake of technology has made brands lose sight of how best to connect with customers. While tech hugely improves relevance of a brand experience, she said that brands mustn’t lose sight of the fact that consumers have a wider journey, life, needs and desires.
"Tech approaches an understanding of a human from a mathematical perspective, but there is something more artistic and spiritual in being human that it can’t understand," she said.
Nightingale suggested that humans are still required for brands to create brilliant experiences for consumers. The "beautiful juxtaposition" of technology and humans can help create experiences that might be "unexplainable and untestable" but that tap into the holistic human journey.
Green Room’s Fraser Warren added that one of his biggest challenges is helping brands understand that data and insight shouldn’t just be used for a ‘sell’ – it should be used for wider relationship building. Brands need to understand and strive for more of a value exchange, an "empathy factor". "That’s one point lots of companies have not woken up to," he said. Brands must start from the perspective of their customers’ needs and wants, rather than by thinking about their own needs.
Any company can bring out a new product, but "how it’s done, how it’s delivered and what it means to someone at the end of the day – that’s the killer thing," he said, "That’s what going to set you apart."
For more insights on how to enhance the human experience, listen to the complete podcast below.


text:
(Bloomberg) -- Porsche AG became Europe’s most valuable automaker a week after its initial public offering when its market capitalization overtook parent Volkswagen AG.
The German sports-car maker’s preferred shares were up 3.1% at 90.68 euros at 2:17 p.m. in Frankfurt, giving it a market value of 82.7 billion euros ($81.5 billion) to edge past Volkswagen’s valuation of 78.6 billion euros. VW sells some 10 million vehicles in a typical year compared to Porsche’s 300,000 deliveries.
Europe’s largest carmaker by revenue last week raised 9.4 billion euros when Porsche, one of the group’s key profit contributors, returned to the stock market in what was the region’s biggest listing in a decade since miner Glencore Plc.
Porsche has bounced back this week after dipping below its IPO price on Monday amid broader market pressures and is now trading at about a 10% premium. The listing was priced at the top of the range amid high demand.
The debut of the 911 maker was a bold move into public markets, which have been largely shut to IPOs for most of the year, with companies shying away from seeking new listings because of the European energy crisis, rising interest rates and record inflation. For Volkswagen, the share sale is raising funds to plough into its electrification push, while investors get a slice of an emotional brand akin to Ferrari NV, which also managed a successful separation from parent Fiat in 2015.
Bank of America Corp., one of four global coordinators on Porsche’s IPO, propped up the stock in the post-listing days, purchasing shares from the date of the debut Sept. 29 through Oct. 4, the bank said in a statement late Wednesday.
Measures to stabilize Porsche’s share price were foreseen as part of the IPO process, and September inflation data, concerns about European energy supplies last week and a deteriorating geopolitical situation in Ukraine “made minor stabilization measures necessary,” Volkswagen said in a statement.
(Updates with VW comment in last paragraph)
©2022 Bloomberg L.P.


text:
Clariant International has set up a unit to help the pharma sector overcome regulatory hurdles involved with developing colour packaging
Stephen Duckworth, head of Clariant’s new Medical and Pharmaceutical segment, told in-Pharmatechnologist.com that, while demand is increasing, there is a lack of industry understanding about the challenges of including colours in drug packaging.
One common misconception, he explained, is that pigments from different suppliers that have the same chemical number are interchangeable, despite the fact that analysis shows them to have very different chemical compositions.
Duckwoth also said there is a lack of understanding about the differing levels of analysis required for packaging for various types of pharmaceutical products and medical devices.
“Whether you are packaging tablets or making something for a nasal spray, the regulatory requirements are very different,” he added, citing biological impact evaluations as just one example.


text:
Skip to main content
Mashable SE Asia
OnePlus CEO is apparently not impressed by folding phones
There's a new foldable phone concept that bends in a completely different way
1TB microSD cards are here. But do we really need one?
Sony's new Xperia smartphones have WIDE screens
The best tech from Mobile World Congress 2019
Microsoft Hololens 2 ushers in the next generation of augmented reality
LG's G8 ThinQ lets you control it with a wave of your hand
LG V50 ThinQ sports an optional secondary display
Nokia's new Android smartphone has 5 rear cameras
Huawei's Mate X is the most promising foldable phone, yet!
Huawei's MateBook X Pro and MateBook 14 might be great alternatives to Apple's MacBook Pro
Samsung Galaxy Buds last an hour longer than Apple AirPods on a single charge
The Samsung Galaxy S10 5G variant is a monster!
Samsung takes premium Android phones to next level with Galaxy S10, S10e and S10+
LG is putting a 3D camera on the front, because security


text:
MANHASSET, N.Y. Power and RF Semiconductor supplier IXYS Corp. posted earnings of $5.5 million, or 16 cents per share on sales of $63.4 million in the second 2006 fiscal quarter ended Sept. 30, compared to $3.8 million, or 11 cents per share on sales of $61.4 million in the year-ago fiscal quarter.
For the six-month period ended Sept. 30, IXYS (Santa Clara, Calif.) reported sales of $126.7 million, up 4.4 percent from $121.3 million for the same period the prior fiscal year. Net income for the period was $10.7 million or 30 cents per share, up 87.3 percent from $5.7 million or 16 cents per share in the same period a year ago.
"We see continued demand in our power and telecommunication sectors, with overall book-to-bill ratio of 1.06 for the quarter, which is an improvement from that of last quarter," said Nathan Zommer, chief executive of IXYS, in a statement.
"We are cautiously optimistic about our next quarter and expect revenues for the December quarter to be relatively flat, as compared to our September quarter," stated Uzi Sasson, chief financial officer, in a statement.


text:
Tesla Motors (NASDAQ: TSLA) CEO Elon Musk teased a secret new product in a March 30 tweet, telling the world that he would announce the product on April 30. At the time, it sent shares of Tesla higher by 3%.
Thursday was the big day – or, rather, night – as Musk announced in the evening what he and Tesla have been working on.
Musk finally revealed Tesla Energy.
Musk’s announcement of a suite of batteries wasn’t altogether surprising, as analysts had all but predicted exactly what Musk was going to reveal. In addition to the home battery – dubbed the Powerwall – Musk announced a larger version for businesses and utilities called the Powerpack.
Two models of Powerwall are in production, a 7 kilowatt-hour model ideal for storing energy from a home solar panel, and a 10 kWh model ideal for backup power in the event of a blackout.
Musk also announced two Powerpacks, one larger than the Powerwall for use by businesses, and an even larger one for utilities.
The Powerpack has reportedly been in use by Wal-Mart (NYSE: WMT) for several weeks. The same Bloomberg News and Business Insider reports also suggest that a 300-home test program has been underway in California for at least as long.
In a very Steve Jobs-esque presentation, Musk announced the new products on stage at Tesla’s design studio south of Los Angeles. He focused on the design aesthetics of the units, noting that they look like “a beautiful piece of sculpture.” The units are also available in multiple colors.
At one point Musk noted that with 160 million Powerpacks, the United States could be transitioned to renewable energy. He also pointed out that the entire presentation was being powered by solar energy stored in Tesla’s batteries.
Musk left us with a lot of takeaways.
First, it’s clear that the name “Tesla Motors” simply doesn’t fit the company anymore. It’s only a matter of time before Musk changes the name to “Tesla” or even “Tesla Energy.”
It’s also clear that the $5 billion lithium-ion battery “Gigafactory” under construction in Nevada is just the first of many gigafactories that Tesla will have to build to produce the number of batteries it wants to sell to the world. Musk explicitly said so, referring to the Nevada gigafactory as “Gigafactory 1.”
This is all consistent with the “Elon Musk future” I’ve written about, one in which we harness energy from the sun with SolarCity (NASDAQ: SCTY) solar panels, store the energy in Tesla batteries and then use that energy to power our Tesla cars and other electronic devices.
If the battery business scales up the way Musk seems to think it might, Tesla’s car business might soon be dwarfed by its battery business. Indeed, Tesla Energy appears to be closer in line with Musk’s true vision for the company – the missing link between what he calls “this handy fusion reactor in the sky, called the sun,” and powering our lives at night, on cloudy days and any time in between.
It’s worth noting that while Tesla seems to be significantly ahead of anyone else trying to produce batteries for home or business use, other companies could very well enter this market with their own battery factories. In fact, Musk said he expects it.
Though Tesla surely won’t have a monopoly on batteries or harnessing the sun’s energy, Tesla Energy seems to be significantly ahead of anyone else in the space. A global energy revolution is underway, and Tesla Energy is leading it.
DISCLOSURE: I personally own shares of Wal-Mart.
The Next Tremendous Growth Industry
Speaking of growth markets, there’s one taking off right now that no investor can afford to ignore. Why? Well, research and consulting firm McKinsey believes this market will grow as much as 14,000% larger by 2025. That’s no joke. What’s more, it’s being led by what could be the biggest technological achievement of all time. If you’re a serious growth investor, this is one story you absolutely do not want to miss out on. Tyler Laundon has all the details for you right here.


text:
Good morning, TechMundo! Check top ten news from the universe of technology, science and entertainment – they are among the most important of the day. It’s a great opportunity to stay up to date with the latest world events, isn’t it?
Click on the links below to learn more and check out each news item in its entirety.
News from 1 to 10:
one. The Sims 4 is free on PC and consoles starting today (18): Electronic Arts (EA) announced this Wednesday (14) The Sims 4 will be free-to-play on consoles and PC starting October 18, 2022. Take a look at this;
two. Motorola shows off mobile with floating ‘rollable’ OLED display: Motorola unveiled its “rollable” screen smartphone on Tuesday (18). The concept that the company quoted during Lenovo Tech World has the ability to enlarge and reduce the size of the screen in the user’s hand. Look;
3. YouTube is ending testing and won’t charge for 4K resolution: YouTube confirmed last night (17) that it is ending the default experience where it will restrict access to 4K videos to Premium users. The idea, which was noticed by a few people and spread on Reddit and Twitter, was absolutely abandoned by the platform. Know more;
4. Samsung mobile: The best options for investing in Black Friday 2022: Among the most sought after brands to buy mobile phones on Black Friday is Samsung, which has a very diverse catalog and premium models that are a good investment option if they are more affordable.
5. Ted Lasso Actor Discovers Cheating With Apple Watch ‘Help’: Recently, separation from Olivia Wilde (Casa, Lar) and Jason Sudeikis (Ted Lasso) was highlighted in tabloids around the world. But the story won another chapter this Tuesday (18), and an unusual piece of information caught our attention: involvement of an Apple Watch at the end of the relationship. To understand;
6. Astronomers may have discovered the irregular axis ratio of Uranus: According to a new study accepted in the scientific journal Astronomy and AstrophysicsAstronomers may have discovered the reason behind Uranus’ irregular axis. Despite its resemblance to Neptune, the planet has several features, such as its axis of rotation at an inclination of 98 degrees of its orbital plane. see more;
7.Assai’s R$1,000 promotion on WhatsApp is a scam: During the celebration of the 48th anniversary of the Assaí Atacadista chain, the company is used to stage a coup. By What’s up?, market name associated with an alleged promotion with wrong information. Payment;
8. Teletubbies: Reboot of the Classic Series Trailer on Netflix; to watch!: Famous among children in the 2000s, teletubbies It left its mark on many people’s childhoods. As such, the new production should bring news, but also bring some classic elements of the original design, including the iconic baby Sun. Payment;
9. Real Digital: the first cryptocurrency is coming this week: Digital reality shouldn’t take too long. still this weekCentral Bank’s (BC) Financial and Technological Innovations Laboratory (LIFT), create national currency version as stable cryptocurrencyor stablecoin. Know more;
10. Silent Pregnancy: How is it possible to be pregnant and not know it?: As strange as it may seem, there are women who get pregnant and don’t realize it until they give birth or months after giving birth. early pregnancy. According to a study published Journal of the Royal Medical Societyout of every 475 people pregnant woman,1 may be up to 20 weeks and may not know it. To understand;
What do you think of our news selection? take the opportunity share them on social networks and let everyone know what’s going on; After all, having something to talk about for breakfast or lunch is a good tactic.
Source: Tec Mundo


text:
Editor's note: This column by Michael Latwis is a special bonus for TheStreet.com and RealMoney readers. It first appeared on Street Insight on Feb. 14 at 3:13 p.m. EST. To sign up for Street Insight, where you can read Latwis' commentary in real time, please click here .
Investors tuning in to
call later today will be listening for hints on the direction of two key products, Tysabri and Rituxan. In particular, there will keen interest in how much the firm will be spending on the relaunch of Tysabri in the multiple sclerosis (MS) market, and the extension of the Rituxan franchise in a new rheumatoid arthritis (RA) indication
As for today's numbers, Biogen's quarterly earnings have been tough to call recently, with no formal guidance from management and a significant amount of ongoing restructuring activity. The consensus is expecting 48 cents a share in quarterly earnings on about $626 million in revenue. This would represent an improvement from last quarter, when less favorable currency effects and some overseas inventory adjustments took a toll on Avonex sales.
The company is expected to record $30 million to $40 million in additional restructuring charges this quarter, as part of its extensive $200 million to $300 million program to "right-size" its business. An important swing factor in the quarter is likely to be this cost, with uncertainty over the timing of a pickup in marketing and development spending behind the relaunch of Tysabri. The bulk of these costs may be reflected in the first quarter of 2006, instead of fourth-quarter 2005 results.
On the product side, the company's largest franchise, its multiple sclerosis treatment Avonex, is expected to show a bit of an improvement this quarter. Although currency and overseas market competition remain headwinds, the work-through of European inventory adjustments should support sequential growth from $375 million last quarter. In addition, the product appears to have maintained a stable share in the U.S. market. Analyst forecasts for Avonex range from $374 million to $410 million, with the midpoint near $390 million.
The company's other main product line is the oncology treatment Rituxan, which is indicated for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Biogen splits Rituxan profits with
in the U.S. market and records its share in joint-venture/collaboration royalties. Genentech recently reported a 13% gain and $484 million in fourth-quarter sales for Rituxan.
This should allow Biogen to record $185 million to $190 million in joint-venture royalties, though the consensus range is slightly wider, at $182 million to $205 million. Rituxan has already attained a very high level of penetration in the non-Hodgkin's lymphoma market, despite gaining approval as a first-line therapy just this week.
Much of the focus this quarter will be on the firm's spending plans for Tysabri and Rituxan. Biogen's Tysabri partner,
has already stated its plans to invest a total of $300 million in the promotion and ongoing development of Tysabri during 2006.
According to the co-promotion agreement, this amount should be split evenly with Biogen. Investors will be looking for a confirmation from management and the timing of these costs, as well as the company's approach to the new RA market opportunity for Rituxan. Increased clarity on these fronts will help shape the near-term earnings outlook for Biogen.
The key regulatory review dates are fast approaching for Biogen, with an FDA ruling on Rituxan in RA expected by Feb. 28, and a March 7 advisory panel review scheduled for Tysabri. The final FDA ruling on Tysabri is expected to take place by March 26.
Although there may be some short-term trading opportunities in BIIB shares around these key events, I don't expect meaningful upside in the share price because of the relatively modest near-term market opportunities for both of these indications.
The consensus now expects the market return of Tysabri in both the U.S. and Europe this year, with a limited indication in patients failing prior MS therapies. The highly publicized safety concerns of Tysabri, as well as anticipated new safety guidelines and ongoing patient monitoring requirements, should lead to gradual market acceptance.
On the basis of this near-term outlook and generally cautious market sentiment, I expect the shares to continue to trade at a modest discount to large-cap biotech peers. The company has the best opportunity to provide a sustained lift to market sentiment and the share valuation by showing greater progress on its new product development and licensing initiatives. I believe the company will be more likely to build evidence of its progress on this front over a longer term.
Last quarter, Biogen reported weaker-than-expected results with disappointing top-line trends and a number of special items and restructuring charges. Adjusted earnings of 36 cents still fell short of consensus forecasts that were in the 42-cent-per-share range. Total revenue advanced 10% to $596 million but also missed consensus forecasts of around $621 million.
The company's lead franchise, Avonex slowed to 8% growth with $375 million in sales. This was below market forecasts in a $382 million to $410 million range. The Rituxan franchise was also slightly weaker sequentially with a 14% gain to $182 million. Special items inflated expenses in the quarter, with R&D spending up 35% to $227 million, due to collaboration payments to
Protein Design Labs
The company also took a $25 million writedown on Zevalin inventory, which was split between SG&A and cost of goods sold. As a result, SG&A was up nearly 22%, while the gross margin dropped 300 basis points from last year. Biogen's cash balance was down to $611 million at quarter-end.
Management also provided investors with its first financial guidance in quite some time. The company is forecasting non-GAAP earnings in a range of $1.95 to $2.10 a share for 2006. The company is expecting a modest revenue contribution from the anticipated midyear launch of Tysabri in the U.S. market. The company also forecasted a stable level of capex next year in a $200 million to $275 million range.
At the time of publication, Latwis had no position in the stocks mentioned.
Michael Latwis is Director of Health Care Content at TheStreet.com Professional Products. Michael has 10 years of investment experience, most recently with Barclays Wealth management division where he was Associate Director of Research. His responsibilities included portfolio management and research of global pharmaceutical stocks as a senior equity analyst. Michael covered companies in the pharmaceutical and specialty pharmaceutical sectors as well as biotech, medical technology, and healthcare services. He has also covered retail and media stocks and was previously associated with Lazard Freres and Fiduciary Trust. Michael has an MBA from Pace University.


text:
Supermarket chain ALDI France has announced the launch of Continuity, the company’s own amateur esports team.
The news, which was was announced today via ALDI’s French website, highlights that the team will initially look to enter into the Rocket League scene.
To pick the roster for its newly created esports team, the chain will host a series of four Rocket League tournaments, set to take place on April 4th, 11th, 19th and 25th. The four winning teams will advance to a live final later in May that will decide which squad will become the team Continuity.
The team will reportedly benefit from Aldi’s full support, including the provision of professional equipment as well as coaching until the end of 2022.
According to ALDI’s website, the supermarket chain seeks to offer amateur gamers the opportunity to become a part of the professional sector. Moreover, the decision to launch an amateur team is seen as a ‘logical continuation of ALDI’s commitment to esports’.
ALDI’s previous ventures into esports have included partnerships with French esports organisations Team Vitality and Solary. Moreover, the brand has been named as the official supplier of the Prime League, a League of Legends competition for the DACH region.
Esports Insider says: Sponsored amateur esports teams is something that’s missing on the current market, so it’s good to see brands investing in such a concept. Not only does it provide players with the esports experience without fully committing to the career, but it can also create plenty of potential career opportunities for aspiring esports talent.


text:
Apple has included a new feature in iOS 8 that will allow shoppers to enter their payment details on an mcommerce site by simply scanning their credit card with the camera on their mobile device, 9to5Mac reports. iOS 8 will also leverage a range of device sensors to provide apps with precise indoor positioning data, the publication has discovered.
- India to move to contactless driving licences that traffic officers can read with NFC devices
- French bank pilots fingerprint card that removes the contactless transaction limit
- Google includes custom security chip in Pixel 3 smartphones
- ST unveils turnkey payment solution for smartwatches and wearables
- Mastercard to phase out signature panels on bank cards


text:
The Sarasota Real Estate Market has certainly shifted in the last six months. The attached charts show 10 years of activity in April in the over $1 Million price tier. Available inventory is returning to a more normalized level, at the same time sales have relaxed from their peak in 2021.
While sales slowed starting in the second half of 2022, there has been considerable activity in the luxury market since the first of the year bringing closings in line with historical averages in a healthy market. Pending sales in April fell by double-digits across FL and the US, but in Sarasota the year-over-year decrease was just 6%. With busy spring showings traffic, I am optimistic we will see sales remain steady in the next few months.
New construction continues to fill a void left by fewer existing homes and condos entering the for-sale inventory, and home builders’ confidence that demand will remain strong is at its strongest in 6 months. However, they are still facing supply and labor challenges, along with newly tightened conditions and increases in costs of construction and development loans.
Would-be sellers of existing homes have been slow to list for several reasons including wanting to hang onto their low-rate mortgages, fear of not finding a suitable place to move, their speculation that prices will start to fall, and more. Experts believe that if rates fall to near 5%, those sitting on low interest rate mortgages will begin to list their homes. And while prices are appreciating more slowly than they have over the last two years, they will continue to rise due to the still limited inventory to meet demand.
New luxury listings year-to-date are up 18.8% compared to the same period last year. Even with more inventory, our listings in the upper price points are selling at near list price, multiple offers are not unusual, and properties in good condition and well-located are moving quickly.
I expect the summer months will continue to see strong buyer interest, making now an excellent time to consider bringing a property to market. However, I am seeing a shift away from buyers accepting of some defects because of the urgency needed to “win” a home during the pandemic period. Buyers now are a bit more thorough in their inspections and insistent on repairs or credits for repairs, so sellers will need more time to prepare their properties for sale that in the last few years.
As the Sarasota Real Estate Market continues to show positive signs, conditions are unpredictable due to ever-changing financial, political, and global influences. Partnering with an agent who understands the fluid market, what that means for you and how it impacts your goals is critical. It is more important than ever to work with a highly experienced, locally as well as globally connected agent/broker, skilled negotiator, and advocate.
Having served clients in The Sarasota Real Estate Market for 40 years and carefully analyzing our business conditions, I have developed essential insight to assist both buyers and sellers in achieving their objectives. An understanding of the realities, the ability to evaluate and guide client expectations, and expert management in negotiating the purchase or sale of a home or condo, I ensure that your goals are realized.
It would be my privilege to work with you, your family, and friends in acquiring or selling your property.
Below is a snapshot using data compiled from the Florida Association of Realtors showing all existing homes and condos activity in March 2023 compared to March 2022:
And now for my statistical report on the Sarasota Real Estate Market activity:
- Total market dollar volume in April was $702 million which decreased by $156.6 million or 18% from a year ago.
- The number of properties sold was 1,130, which is 159 less than a year ago. The monthly average of sold properties this year is 954. The monthly average in 2022 was 1,004 and in 2021 1,369.
- Florida’s single-family sales declined 17.2% from last year, and condo sales were 26.8% fewer than last year.
- U.S. sales of single-family homes fell 22.4% and condos were down 29.5% compared to last April.
- Of the April closed sales 107 were for over $1,000,000. In 2022 Sarasota averaged 111 sales per month over $1 million and in 2021 the average was 128.
- Homes sold for in excess of $1 million were 25.3% lower than April 2022 and condos closed at over $1 million fell 30.2%.
- In April 1,220 listings went to a pending contract, a decrease of 81 transactions from a year ago. Year to date there has been an average of 1,159 pending sales per month. There were 968 pending sales per month in 2022 and 1,347 in 2021.
- Florida’s single-family pending sales decreased 7.6% and condos fell 18.1 compared to last year.
- U.S. pending sales in April were 20.3% behind a year ago.
- Single-family homes were sold at a median price of $520,000. The average monthly median price for houses sold is $500,753 this year. In 2022 it was $493,000 and in 2021 $394,000.
- In April, Florida median price for single-family homes was $410,000, virtually equal to last year.
- The national median price for existing homes fell 2.1% to $393,300.
- Sarasota’s condo median sale price was $399,000. In 2022 $383,000 and in 2021 $317,000.
- Median price for a Florida condo in April was $325,000, a 4.8% increase over 2022.
- U.S. median condo price grew .7% to $348.000.
- Sarasota houses sold on average for $652,000 for the month. The year-to-date monthly average is $677,525. In 2022 $683,000 and 2021 $573,000.
- Condos sold for an average price of $562,000, just 4% lower than last April. The year-to-date monthly average is $622,000. In 2022 $563,000 and 2021 $527,000.
- Currently there are 2,722 properties for sale in Sarasota. At the beginning of this year there were 2,431 listings, 829 at the beginning of 2022 and 2,272 at the beginning of 2021.
- The Sarasota market had 1,381 new listings in April. The market averaged 904 new listings monthly in 2022 and in 2021 it was 1,321.
- Current inventory results in 2.9 months of single-family homes for sale in Sarasota and 3.5 month’s supply of condominiums. Sarasota currently has 689 properties selling for over $1 million.
- Florida has 2.6 months of single-family inventory and 3.5 month’s supply of condominiums.
- U.S. inventory of existing single-family homes is equal to last year at this time, and condo inventory is at 3.6 months of supply.


text:
The conversation around cannabis has changed drastically in the past few years. Since legalization in many US states and a lot of research going into the benefits and effects of cannabis, parents are among the avid adopters and supporters of cannabis.
There has long been a negative connotation around cannabis use in the US, but what the rise of medical marijuana and thousands and thousands of success stories, the door can no longer stay closed on the use of cannabis by parents. Cannabis isn’t just for the high school deadbeat who doesn’t have direction. We are seeing a massive surge of cannabis adoption outside of this damaging stereotype including parents and the elderly.
Many parents are now speaking openly about using cannabis and how it has helped improve their lives overall, and this includes parenting. The days of hiding cannabis use are coming to an end as many parents are sharing success stories of cannabis use and becoming better and more empathetic parents. There’s also a lot more play, and who can be mad at that?!
It used to be that parents would come home from a long day of work, pour a cocktail or crack open a beer and interact with their children. While this “order of operations” is widely accepted in American culture, it’s not the right move for everyone. Alcohol is a substance that can be easily abused and doesn’t necessarily agree with everyone. It can make some people anxious, aggravated, depressed, and outright angry. And when children watch this ritual day after day, they can assume that this is just what it is an adult.
Cannabis is a preferred alternative for many in the US to “take the edge off” after a long day, and now that cannabis is widely available in such high quality, it’s no surprise that many parents are making the switch from alcohol to cannabis. The cannabis of today is not the cannabis of most parents’ high school experience. And with the industry taking off, many parents work within the cannabis industry, which means they also deeply understand the medicinal benefits.
In an article in LA Weekly, the topic was explored and stated: “Parents are 52 percent more likely than non-parents to replace alcohol with cannabis, and 26 percent more likely to replace opiates.
For Jason Pinsky, chief cannabis evangelist at Eaze and producer of Viceland’s Bong Appétit, framing cannabis not only as a tool for wellness but as a medicine helped him foster a more transparent relationship with his now 11-year-old son. ‘I wouldn’t even compare it to having a drink. For me, cannabis had always been portrayed in our household as a medical product,’ Pinsky says. ‘You know how parents will do something and the kid comes in and they try to sweep it under the rug? Kids pick up on that, so we tried to normalize it.’”
This couldn’t ring more true of the impression kids have on just about anything. From horror movies and sex to pot, the more open and honest the conversation is, the less the child will demonize or idolize whatever it is that’s being held away from children due to age etc.
When the stigma around cannabis is removed, and it is normalized by parents, children are less likely to be drawn into consumption in the same way that most parents experienced in their youth.
Parents, Cannabis, and Play
Beyond the medicinal benefits of cannabis, and the alternative use for pain management and stress, most parents who consume say that cannabis makes them more fun, less stressed, more tolerable of children’s moods and desires, and more capable to truly be present with their children.
The to-do lists never end, but thinking about all the stress that is taking place in life while spending quality time with children can be damaging to the relationship and emphasis the normality of stress in children’s lives. We all want to just be kids again, with the imagination that takes us to different planets, and the free time to just dream. Children are a glowing example of what adults used to be, and what we can regain and reinvigorate with the use of cannabis.
The inner child in all of us just wants to play, be loved, and have fun. And that’s all kids are looking for as well. But with the mile-long lists, work and life stress, spouse disagreements, etc, it can be hard to even remember what being a kid was like. This makes an imprint on our children as well, and we show them that being an adult is no fun and games, creates constant stress, and there’s no time to play.
Cannabis can be used to be radically in the present, connect with your imagination, release the grip of stress and anxiety, and show your kids that you do know how to have fun. The same article in LA Times stated:
“Moses, whose kids are 2 and 13, says cannabis helps him connect with his ‘inner child’ in a way that makes it easier to get into that play world in a more creative, energetic way than he’d otherwise be capable of. By experiencing more common ground with his kids, he says it’s easier to empathize — which is especially useful with his youngest, who’s still developing a grasp of the language.”
When parents are more open, relaxed, and present with children, this makes for a better relationship overall. The positive impact it can have on children will also help them become more balanced adults. Not everyone is lucky enough to have a good relationship with either or both of their parents, so when we can do something that will cultivate that depth and positivity from a young age, divorce or other interruptions to the relationship may be less emotionally damaging.
While smoking in front of children is not something these open parents are ok with, they are still advocating for the use of cannabis while parenting.
This trend of opening up about the impact cannabis has on parents, the openness they have with their children about it, and the ripple effects it has on other parents and communities is only growing. As cannabis continues to be legalized, and with the nationwide availability of CBD, it’s only a matter of time until our society is a radical supporter of cannabis use.
If you’re a parent who advocates for the use of cannabis, while parenting or otherwise, stop into The Spot 420 and tell us about it! We’ll stock you with all your favorite cannabis goods and we’d love to hear your story.


text:
Tempur Sealy International, Inc. (NYSE: TPX) has announced that its Tempur-Pedic brand was again awarded #1 in Customer Satisfaction for the retail mattress category in the U.S. in the J.D. Power 2020 Mattress Satisfaction Report.
Promotional sales company Planned Furniture Promotions (PFP) is offering a free tool to evaluate the health of retailer’s cash flow and prevent catastrophic business losses during the current supply and demand challenges.
Southern Calif.-based Diamond Mattress launched Diamond Mattress University (DMU), the online, mobile-friendly education program, mid-last year at no charge to retail partners nationwide. Since then, DMU has signed up over 1,500 retail sales associates who’ve completed over 3,000 courses.
The 128th China Import and Export Fair (Canton Fair) has reported nearly 700,000 new products launched on its upgraded digital platform during the virtual exhibition.
Loves Furniture & Mattresses has announced the grand opening of its Warren location, which triples the brand's physical footprint.
Precision Textiles, a leading supplier of coated fabrics, nonwoven and laminations for the bedding, automotive, health care and home furnishings industries, has announced the EcoFlex EZ-Fit Cap, expanding its line of glass-free FR solutions for the bedding industry.
Denver Mattress Co., LLC (DMC) has announced the 18th anniversary of its annual charity partnership with Citygate Network (formerly known as the Association of Gospel Rescue Missions), as together DMC and Citygate Network continue to help those in need during the holidays.


text:
Boycott of Chinese products should be done in calibrated manner: Traders' body
The Federation of All India Vyapar Mandal (FAIVM) said, though they support stopping the import of Chinese goods for creating a roadmap to reduce dependence on Chinese products but any action should not endanger" the ongoing domestic business. China exports products worth USD 74 billion to India annually.
Kolkata: Amid a call for boycott of Chinese goods after the Ladakh face-off, a national trading body in a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said, it should be done in a calibrated way and not until alternatives are in place. The trading body also sought fiscal support from the government to encourage traders to import goods from other countries instead of China.
China exports products worth USD 74 billion to India annually.
Leaders in the trading community are of the opinion that our industries could be endangered due to non-availability of ready stock due to disrupted supply from China for industrial products such as machinery parts, bearings and other parts," FAIVM general secretary V K Bansal said in a letter to the Prime Minister.
The traders have also expressed apprehension about the landed cost of imports from other countries as normally Chinese products are cheaper by 30 per cent to 70 per cent as compared to other countries, he mentioned in the letter.
The FAIVM claimed to be active in 18 states across the country.
A trader dealing with chemicals said, currently the entire requirement of citric acid in the country is met through Chinese imports.
"We have written to the Prime Minister highlighting the reality even as we all support reduction of Chinese imports. But that should be in a calibrated way and not until alternatives are in place. Based on feedbacks from our members on July 4, we put forward some of the suggestions," Bansal told .
Asked about the demand of some other national trade bodies seeking blanket ban, Bansal said, "we are not in favour of such a ban."
In view to reduce India's dependence on Chinese goods, the government should provide some financial support and incentives for imports from other countries instead of China.
"Financial support may include import duty exemption, cash subsidy on imports from other countries to maintain the level of cost of Chinese products," the FAIVM suggested in the letter.
President of the Confederation of West Bengal Trade Association Sushil Poddar said, "Our own manufacturing may take 1-2 years time to produce goods that can be a substitute for Chinese items. However, during the intervening period we need some other supply source."
The Federation of Indian Export Organisations had said, boycotting of Chinese products may not be feasible for India as domestic industry is dependent on input from there.
The JSW Group said the conglomerate would stop annual imports from China worth USD 400 million in the next 24 months.
Jayanti Chauhan, 42, is vice chairperson at the company promoted and built by her father. She will work with the professional management team headed by chief executive Angelo George, said people with knowledge of the matter.
New Delhi, Mar 14 (PTI) American toy and clothing retailer Toys 'R' Us is said to have shut within 24 hours a store it opened in Hyderabad to mark its second entry into India over some legal complexities with the mall owner, sources said.


text:
Storage vendor Connected Data has signed up three new resellers as it looks to grow its UK channel, claiming outages at some of its rivals are helping partners to drum up business.
Further to the addition of resellers Blue Profile, NDC and Virtek, the company told CRN that it wants to draft in another five to 10 partners, which it says will help double its sales quarter on quarter.
Connected Data – which provides private file, sync and share appliances to businesses – said it was looking for storage VARs that will be able get up and running quickly with the firm's products.
The vendor’s vice president of international marketing, Geraldine Osman, said: “What I like about the three of these is that they are not directly competitive with each other. They have all got very strong skill sets in different areas.
“NDC are good in the public sector, Virtek are a good cloud player and Blue Profile are a good all-round storage reseller, and they really get the differentiation that our product brings.”
She added that the next wave of growth would involve looking for more resellers through its sole UK distributor Commtech, which partnered with Connected Data last month.
New partners will push the private cloud products out to customers who, according to Osman, have suffered problems with rival public cloud platforms such as Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Dropbox.
"Outages have been reported with AWS and DropBox, meaning businesses do not have continuity or continuous access to their data," she said. "That is another issue for customers that is being raised more and more when we talk to them."
The problems with those services, she claims, have increased demand for Connected Data’s solution, and been the driving force behind the UK expansion.
“Now we have seen such good traction in the UK, we really want to get more resources around the UK and grow that market. We have a good six months of work to do with recruiting new partners and on-boarding them in that market,” she said.
“Beyond that, we will be looking at other European markets, but I really want to get the UK up and running and growing over the next two quarters.”
Chief exec Jens Montanana claims Logicalis performed well despite 'currency headwinds'
All the photos from last night's event, which saw over 600 people congregate at the Hilton London Bankside
Five year deal with Essex NHS Trust will cover 400 sites, including hospitals, clinics and GP practices
18 individuals and three companies walked away as winners at CRN's inaugural Women in Channel Awards last night


text:
ATLANTA (February 29, 2016) – The Technology Association of Georgia (TAG), the state’s leading association dedicated to the promotion and economic advancement of Georgia’s technology industry, today announced nuVizz Inc. as one of its Top 10 Innovative Technology Companies in Georgia – part of its overall Top 40 Innovative Technology Companies in Georgia. TAG will recognize this prestigious group at the 2016 Georgia Technology Summit (GTS) on March 17, 2016, at the Cobb Galleria Centre.
“The 2016 Top 40 finalists are an elite group of innovators who represent the very best of Georgia’s Technology community,” said Tino Mantella, president & CEO of TAG. “The 2016 Top 40 finalists are shining examples of what makes our State such a hotbed for technology and we applaud them for standing out as leaders in Georgia’s technology community.”
nuVizz’s commitment to innovation in the mobile and supply chain industries acts clearly marks them as a thought leader and trailblazer. Their suite of mobile apps – GoJentha™, nuDeliverIT, vehmo and WellRyde – provide comprehensive delivery management and crowdsourced workforce solutions to extend the capabilities of virtually any business.
The 2016 Georgia Technology Summit is expected to draw a crowd of more than 1,300 C-level executives, entrepreneurs, technology professionals and academia to celebrate and recognize Georgia’s technology community. In addition to presentations from some of the top technology influencers in the nation, the newest member of the Technology Hall of Fame of Georgia will be inducted.
For more information about TAG and the Georgia Technology Summit and to register for the event, visit www.tagonline.org/events/georgia-technology-summit Follow the conversation on Twitter through #TAGGTS.
nuVizz is a leading enterprise mobile application, crowd enablement and services company. It provides complete mobile business SaaS solutions, new mobile logistics applications, an Omni-Crowd Network ™ solution and supply chain consulting services. The company is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, with offices in India and France.
About The Technology Association of Georgia (TAG)
TAG is the leading technology industry association in the state, serving more than 30,000 members through regional chapters in Metro Atlanta, Athens, Augusta, Columbus, Macon/Middle Georgia, and Savannah. TAG’s mission is to educate, promote, and unite Georgia’s technology community to foster an innovative and connected marketplace that stimulates and enhances a tech-based economy.


text:
Beyond Meat stock is feeling the pressure from a number of factors, including the end of the stock lockup
Beyond Meat Inc. stock plummeted 22.2% in Tuesday trading with a few factors weighing on the stock, including analyst feedback indicating that the Canadian P.L.T. (plant, lettuce, tomato) trial at McDonald’s Corp. has not been met with a resounding response and the end to the stock lockup.
Beyond Meat BYND, -22.22% reported its first quarterly profit in the third quarter, and raised its 2019 guidance to revenue in the range of $265 million to $275 million, from $240 million.
On the call, Chief Executive Ethan Brown talked up the food service partnerships Beyond Meat has entered into, particularly the ones with Subway, the largest restaurant chain in the world by the number of locations, KFC, a Yum Brands Inc. YUM, +0.19% chain, Dunkin’ Brands Inc. DNKN, +0.95% , which just expanded the Beyond Breakfast Sausage sandwich to 9,000 locations, and McDonald’s.
Brown also talked about the McDonald’s MCD, +0.44% trial as the next step in reaching a target for the company.
“This important step reflects a dream becoming reality,” he said, according to a FactSet transcript of the earnings call. “We’ve long had our sights on ubiquitous availability for Beyond Meat, and years ago, I set a goal that my own children would be able to go to major fast food chains and order Beyond by the time they could drive.”
He said Beyond Meat is now available in 53 countries around the world.
However, as some analysts have already noted, just because McDonald’s is trying Beyond Meat doesn’t mean it will end up on the menu.
“A key question is whether McDonald’s will partner with Beyond Meat in the U.S.,” wrote Bernstein analysts in a note published Monday before the earnings were announced. They think a McDonald’s partnership could add $168 million in fiscal 2019 and help boost sales to $867 million in fiscal 2021.
“Based on our channel checks with select McDonald’s based in Ontario, Canada that are currently testing the Beyond P.L.T. burger, the initial feedback has been largely positive, although it seems that the trial has not been a blowout success thus far that justifies an immediate nationwide rollout across both Canada and the U.S.,” Bernstein said.
And even if Beyond Meat is added to the menu, Bernstein analysts wonder whether the company can keep up with McDonald’s.
“At this rate of capacity expansion, we believe Beyond Meat will be able to keep up with demand growth at the current rate, although if the McDonald’s partnership materializes, Beyond Meat may need to structure the deal such that its products are rolled out on a regional basis at least initially in order to maintain service levels,” analysts wrote in a Tuesday note.
Bernstein rates Beyond Meat stock market perform and raised its price target to $106 from $100.
Seth Goldman, Beyond Meat’s executive chair, also addressed the end to the lockup.
“While we recognize short-term reactions to these milestones are often marked by heightened uncertainty, we believe that Beyond Meat is in a stronger position today than at any other time in its history,” he said on the call.
“Our transition to a public company has positioned Beyond Meat well to be able to capitalize on the substantial growth opportunities that lie ahead of us, and we sincerely thank our pre-IPO investors for getting us to this point and for their long-term commitment and belief in our company.”
“We do not interpret the interests and efforts of large companies to capture our leadership position as evidence that they will do so, any more than Amazon’s [ascent was] squelched by traditional retailers who entered e-commerce to unseat them,” Brown said.
“We continue to view Beyond Meat as perhaps the best growth story in staples,” wrote Jefferies analysts. “However even with the recent pullback, Beyond’s valuation at ~15.5X revenue sets a high bar for the stock, particularly with competition ramping up, topline momentum showing less upside versus loft Street expectations, and post-IPO lockup period expiring.”
Jefferies rates Beyond Meat shares hold, and slashed its price target to $115 from $190.
JPMorgan analysts also cut their price target, to $138 from $189, due to cuts in their revenue forecasts for 2025 and after. Analysts also question how many stockholders will sell their shares with the stock halved since its high point. The stock closed on July 26 at $234.90.
“[P]utting the lockup expiry in the past ultimately should incentivize some investors to start buying the stock again, though the shares could fade lower beforehand,” JPMorgan wrote.
JPMorgan rates Beyond Meat shares overweight.
Beyond Meat stock is down nearly 58% over the past three months while the S&P 500 index SPX, -0.08% has gained 0.8% for the period.


text:
1.5分pk10高手计划 _Ringing up sales on new retail mode
- 来源:游星博客 - 专注共享游星资源博客技术
1.5分pk10高手计划 metr1.5分pk10高手计划 O Group wa1.5分pk10高手计划 nts to foster the spirit of 'in business together' in China, says chairman of German giant
As one of the first German companies to enter the Chinese market, retail giant Metro Group has unveiled a strategic partnership with the leading Chinese online and mobile commerce company Alibaba Group Holding Ltd, to sell imported German and European products to Chinese consumers.
"The innovative platform will help us deliver more quality imported goods and German brands to Chinese customers," said Olaf Koch, chairman of the management board of Metro Group.


text:
A former official of a New Jersey-based vending company, 65-year-old Joseph Belasco of Cedar Grove, was sentenced to months in prison for his role in a scheme that defrauded the Pepsi Bottling Group of $2.9 million over a 10-year period.
Red Lobster's recent changes are an attempt by the seafood chain to reverse a year-long decrease...
Major companies such as Coca-Cola are hoping to make more money in countries including China and...
Approximately 450 employees of the Cherokee, Iowa Tyson Foods will lose their jobs with the...
A federal appeals court threw out claims against Chiquita Brands made by relatives of thousands of Colombians killed during years of bloody civil war. The lawsuits accused Chiquita of assisting in the killings by paying $1.7 million to a violent right-wing paramilitary group.
According to the Beverage Information & Insights Group's 2014 Liquor Handbook, premium distilled spirits are coming back strong in today's economy. Consumers seem to be drinking less in general, but when they do indulge, they enjoy premium brands.
Coca-Cola Enterprises, an Atlanta-based company, reported an increase in its earnings this quarter by 8.8 percent. The adjusted profit topped analysts' expectations. Profits increased from $182 million in the same quarter last year to $198 million this quarter.
The maker of beverages such as Dr Pepper, 7Up and Mott's reported its second quarter earnings with a 35 percent increase, topping expectations. Dr Pepper Snapple Group, based in Plano, Texas, said its net income increased to $210 million from $155 million.
OSI Group, a privately-held company based in Aurora, Illinois, was thrust into the spotlight when one of its Shanghai plants repackaged old beef and chicken and slapped new expiration dates on them. Now, Yum Brands is terminating all supply agreements with them worldwide.
PepsiCo said global volume for both its snacks and drinks rose 1 percent in the second quarter. The gains were relatively modest, but the lower prices in its Frito-Lay division, along with the addition of four special flavors, has helped lift sales volume.
Canada's largest dairy co-operative, Agropur, is doubling its U.S. processing operations with a deal to buy the dairy processing assets of Davisco Foods. The Quebec-based company said it will become the fifth-largest cheese and ingredients processor in the states.
Coca-Cola, the world's largest beverage maker, said its quarterly sales fell short of estimates as the demand for Diet Coke has fizzled out. The sales volume, however, rose 3 percent, boosted by the gains in China, India and the Middle East.
The world's largest hamburger chain, McDonald's, is struggling to boost its sales due to changing eating habits and the persistent financial struggles of lower-income customers. Sales fell approximately 1.5 percent for the second quarter.
KeHe Distributors has agreed to purchase Nature's Best — a California-based distributor of natural food products like nutrition bars. KeHE's acquisition of the company is in part to expand its national distribution of natural and organic products.
Oregon is sueing 5-Hour Energy for falsely claiming customers get extra energy and focus from a unique blend of ingredients, when in truth the boost comes from a concentrated dose of caffeine. The suit also targets claims that the product is OK for adolescents.
While Yum Brands Inc, a Kentucky-based company who operates KFC, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut, reported a 19 percent increase in its second-quarter profits from its rebounding business in China, sales in the U.S. continue to drop as much as 4 percent.
The rise in prices of certain foods, like beef and fresh fruits, is outpacing overall inflation. With the pricey costs of eating, there has also been a hike in consumer-price indexes for food at home, more commonly known as groceries.
After four months of increases, wholesale food prices fell 0.2 percent in May. That should bring some grocery bill relief. Food costs had been rising because crops were damaged by a drought in California and brutal winter storms in the Midwest.
Starbucks is making its much-anticipated debut in the country synonymous with coffee after years of roasting Colombia's Arabica beans for billions of java lovers the world over. But will Colombians answer Starbucks' siren call and ditch a popular local chain favorite?
Hershey Company, known for its Kit Kat, Reese's and Hershey candy bars, is raising its prices as the costs for ingredients such as cocoa, dairy and nuts have risen since the beginning of the year. The company said it expects most prices to rise about 8 percent.
Maplehurst Bakeries, located in central Indiana and known for their distribution and manufacturing operations for cakes and cupcakes, is planning a $78 million expansion. The renovation will include a 180,000 square-foot plant in Lebanon to house its operations.
Lemonis and Fischer Enterprises, the company behind Dippin' Dots ice cream, has agreed to buy Crumbs Bake Shop out of Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The investor group hopes to close a sale in about 60 days pending approval from the bankruptcy court.
The cooperative Dairy Farmers of America will pay $50 million to settle antitrust allegations filed against them in 2009. Thousands of Northeast dairy farmers filed suit against Dallas-based Dean Foods and DFA for working together to monopolize the market for raw milk.
ConAgra Foods, famous for its Hunts and Healthy Choice brands, bought TaiMei Potato Industry, a Chinese processor, for $93 million. ConAgra said the purchase will help the company sell more frozen potato products, like french fries and mashed potatoes, throughout Asia.
Indiana is working on developing the state's first aquaculture park, a 60-acre facility, in hopes of attracting more business to build up the fish production in the area. The proposed park would be near the Delaware County town of Albany.
Lindt & Spruengli, a Swiss chocolate maker, is purchasing Russell Stover Candies, Inc for an unknown amount. The CEO of the Swiss company says the purchase will provide the company with a unique opportunity for them to expand in North America.
U.S. consumers should expect higher grocery store prices as drought and livestock disease have negatively impacted food supply, says a new report. Several products, such as lettuce and grapes are expected to have lower yields than in years past due to water shortage.
Unilever sold its Slim-Fast brand to Kainos Capital. Comprised of weight loss and meal replacement shakes, powders, bars and snacks, Slim-Fast will be added to the firm's portfolio of health and wellness companies. Unilever will retain a minority stake in the business.
The heirs of John Wayne filed a federal lawsuit against Duke University for marketing bottles of bourbon branded with the late movie star's nickname, Duke. The bourbon is labeled with an image of Wayne holding a rifle with "Duke" emblazoned over it in bold letters.
- Page 1